Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-08-26
fore he recovered sufficiently to fol-

IFOu WulCu ouO 90" az 6i"hNO
there was no place Of exit save from
the door through which she had
entered!
There had been q window, but it
had been long since boarded over.
To retreat was to rush into the
arms of her pursuer, whose Wild
cries rang in her ears again. Her
heart sunk within her as she real
lied how hOpelessly she was en-
trapped.
The door was but a shattered
frame hung upon one hinge, so that
it could afford her no protection
However, she showed wonderful
self.possession as she cried out in a
clear, ringing tone;
"Hold, Mr.. Mitchell! Why doyou
pursue met"
He was just entering the adJoln-
ing room, and stopped abruptly at
the sound of her voice.
"What do you mean by this con-
duct, Mr.. Mitchell y she continued,
with a calmness that surprised her
self.
"Oh, Allie Allie !" he cried, "are
you afraid of me that you flee thus"
She realized that her only hope
was in conciiating him. Fortu-
nately for her purpose the pallor OF
her countenance was not clearly
seen by him in the semi'darkness;
equally fortunate for her, too, was
it that she could not see the fear.
full distortions of his haggard Wis
age, else she should not have acted
her part so calmly.
"NO, no, Lang" she replied, "nOt
afraid OF you. But your appear
ance was so sudden and you seem
ed angered with me. What have l
done"
"Come, quick, Allie y he implor
ed; "hy with me They are after
us ~ and he glaIed around him like
a wild beast at bay.
"No one is after US, Lang. You
are letting your reason get the bet
ter of you. Even my folks do not
know am here"
Her words we're not without their
effect. He appeared calmer, and
his voice lost something Ofits harsh
ness as he said;
"You Will 60 with me, Allie"
"Where do you want me to 20,
Langi"
"Anywhere to escape tn EN-
Gomez
"You may 60 ahead, Lang. l
will follow sOOn.'
But he was not to be deceived so
easily.
"No, no, Allie. YOu do lot love
me or you would fly with me at
once. But you shall" and he start
ed forward.
eyes, yes; l will 60, Lang, only
wait a moment. l must rest, | am
so tired"
"And | will sit beside you, darl-
ing. fl can only be with you, l
do not care for Them"
Sheuttered a wild, piercing scream
as he started toward her, his distort-
ed visage cleaning with a fiendish
look of triumph.
He was barely midway upon the
floor, however, when the rotten tim
bers gave away with a crash and
the mad man went down into the
cellar covered with the debris.
AS his ghostly face disappeared
Allie sank against the wall, weak
from the fearful strain upon her
nerves.
The madmaE lay motionless amid
the ruins. He was struck by one of
the falling tlmbers, it was atterward
found.
Finding he did not move Allie
looked around for an avenue of es-
cape. There was none except by
the window, and she turned to
tear off the boards, when the sound
of footsteps arrested her attention.
A moment later her lover, Frank
Lane, appeared upon the scene, at
tracted by her cries as he was COM
ing up the road to meet her.
"Oh, Frankp she said, "save me"
and sank to the floor in swoon the
next moment.
He soon reached her side, when,
bearing her to the open air, she re-
vived, and they started for her
home.
A party of men were quickly
aroused to undertake the capture
of the mailman. 1t was easily done,
for he lay pinned under one OF the
floor timbers. His injuries proved
fatal, and 1t seemed better that his
unhappy existence had ended.
1t was a long time before Allie
could pass the site of the ruined
house without shudder, and she
never forgot her fearful adventure.
How 10 Break off Bad Habits,
Understand clearly the reason,
and all the reasons why the habit